On October 6, Kitui County officially nullified the employment of 1,039 health sector employees, a revelation made through Gazette Notices.
According to recently published notices, Ruth Koki, a notable member of the Health and Sanitation’s Chief Executive Committee, orchestrated this significant dismissal on August 25.
Operating under the mandate bestowed by the Health Facilities Management Act 2014, she primarily targeted committee members across various hospitals and dispensaries within the county.
By invoking Section 5 of the Kitui County Health Facilities Management Committee Act, 2014, alongside Section 51(1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act, Koki effectively rescinded the appointments. Consequently, the individuals named in the subsequent schedule ceased to be management committee members in their respective capacities, effective immediately, she clarified.
However, she left the underlying reasons for this expansive dismissal shrouded in mystery.
Each committee, duly sanctioned by the Health CEC and endorsed by the county, encapsulates eleven members.
Despite the county constitution permitting a three-year tenure with a reappointment clause, these individuals met with termination.
Their core responsibility revolved around supervising and managing funds allocated to their designated hospitals.
The dismissed members, holding pivotal positions within the committees, had diverse roles. These ranged from Chairperson, Secretary (Med sup), and Town Admins to SubCounty Admins for other Business Communities. Additionally included were Nominated Representatives for women, special groups, youth, People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs), and Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs).
This sweeping dismissal resonated across numerous Kitui County hospitals, creating challenges. The affected hospitals now grappling with this abrupt manpower reduction include:
- Kitui County Referral Hospital
- Mwingi Level IV Hospital
- Tseikuru Hospital
- Kyuso Hospital
- Kituo Nuu Hospital
- Kauwi Hospital
- Katulani Hospital
- Kitolo Hospital
- Zombe Hospital
- Ikutha Hospital
- Ikanga Hospital
- Mutomo Hospital
- Migwani Hospital
- Mutitu Hospital
Following his re-election last August, Governor Julius Malombe of Kitui County unveiled his executive committee. Significantly, he reinstated Mrs. Ruth Koki Mwanzia as the Health Executive, making her one of the two ministers retained.
In praising his committee, the governor emphasized their youthful vigor and stellar qualifications, all in line with the necessary university credentials dictated by law.
Koki showcased her steadfast allegiance to the county assembly during her thorough vetting. Moreover, she pledged to harness her extensive institutional knowledge to uplift health services, drawing from her past triumphs to augment service delivery.
With a forward-looking stance, Koki aspires to leverage her amassed knowledge and experiences for the county’s betterment. Her overarching goal pivots on elevating health standards, which would amplify productivity, alleviate poverty, and bolster the economic standing of the residents.
Reflecting on her past tenure as an executive, Koki reminisced about the era when Kitui County soared in sanitation and maternal child health metrics. Notably, she observed the increment in health facilities from 230 to 286 to lessen the distance, cost, and time residents expend to access healthcare, as she eloquently conveyed to Kitui County Members of the County Assembly in December 2023.